A late-night raid in Simpang, Perak has exposed a diesel smuggling operation that had been running quietly out of a small workshop.
Officers from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) swooped in around 1.20am after a week of surveillance under Ops Tiris 2025.
What they found was a massive stash of 36,000 litres of diesel, two lorries, a skid tank, 22 bulk containers and several pumps, altogether worth nearly RM293,000.
According to Perak KPDN director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, the syndicate had been tapping into the fuel supply through dishonest channels. “They got their diesel from fishing boats and lorry drivers who siphoned fuel from the companies they worked for. It was bought at around RM2.15 a litre and resold to industries on the black market for about RM2.45 a litre,” he said in a statement.
During the raid, a 30-year-old local man who identified himself as a lorry driver was caught. He failed to produce any authorisation papers, licences or permits for keeping controlled goods.
The case is now being investigated under the Supply Control Act 1961. If convicted, those involved could face heavy fines or even jail time.
Authorities believe the operation is part of a larger network taking advantage of subsidised diesel meant for the public and rerouting it for quick profit. “This is theft, and it also distorts the market. Subsidised fuel is not meant for syndicates to line their pockets,” Kamalludin stressed.
The ministry has warned that enforcement efforts will be stepped up, with surprise checks continuing across the state to crack down on illegal diesel storage and distribution.
